Japan’s Defense Agency is planning to ask the United States for permission to produce Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missiles domestically, Agence France-Presse reported today (see GSN, June 23).

The award could go to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which already produces the PAC-2 missile, according to a report today in the Nihon Keizai.  Japan is planning to provide funding next year for a two-layered missile defense system.

“Nothing has been decided about the introduction of the PAC-3 and it is still under study as part of the missile defense program,” a Defense Agency spokesman said.  “Since the Patriot 2 is being made by Mitsubishi, I personally think that it would be difficult for other makers to get (the contract),” the spokesman added.

A Mitsubishi spokesman said the company does not yet have a contract to perform the work.

“The report is very speculative,” the spokesman said.  “We would be grateful if such a license comes to us as we take pride in our missile technologies,” he added (Agence France-Presse, June 24).

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